Which is Better Between the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz?

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American Foxhound Versus Japanese Spitz: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the American Foxhound and for the Japanese Spitz. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you with more insight into deciding which pet to get between the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the American Foxhound or the Japanese Spitz.

American Foxhound versus Japanese Spitz: Overview

A very important difference between the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The American Foxhound is a medium-sized dog while the Japanese Spitz is a small-sized dog.

Furthermore, the American Foxhound belongs to the Hound Dogs group. Hound Dogs were bred to pursue and hunt warm-blooded animals. Hounds hunt by using their good sight or their good sense of smell. Dogs that belong to the Hound Group have strong prey drives and often will stop at nothing to catch what they are pursuing.

On the other hand, the Japanese Spitz belongs to the Companion Dogs group. Companion Dogs were bred to be companions for humans. Their main goal in life is to be with people, and they will be very sad if left to themselves for long hours day after day.

American Foxhound versus Japanese Spitz: Comparison Table

The table below compares the American Foxhound to the Japanese Spitz based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz

Factor American Foxhound Japanese Spitz
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 1/5 4/5
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 2/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 5/5
Life Span 12 to 13 years 10 to 16 years
Good For Novice Owners 2/5 4/5
Easygoing 4/5 3/5
Easy To Train 2/5 4/5
Height 21 to 25 inches tall at the shoulder 10 to 16 inches
Does NOT Shed 3/5 3/5
Intelligence 3/5 4/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 4/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 4/5 4/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 4/5 3/5
Affectionate With Family 4/5 4/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 4/5 2/5
Low Prey Drive 2/5 4/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 2/5 4/5
Weight 40 to 60 pounds 11 to 20 pounds
Kid-Friendly 5/5 5/5
Dog Friendly 5/5 4/5
Easy To Groom 5/5 4/5
General Health 5/5 3/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 1/5 4/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 1/5 2/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 1/5 4/5
NOT Rambunctious 1/5 3/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 1/5 3/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 4/5
Average Lifespan 12.5 years 13.0 years
Average Price $460 $2200
Price Range $400 – $500 $2200 – $2200
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests No Data No Data

Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the American Foxhound in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Japanese Spitz. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

The Better-Pet score for the American Foxhound is 74 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Japanese Spitz is 90 out of 125.

Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Japanese Spitz is a better pet than the American Foxhound. So, you should get the Japanese Spitz!

Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

The Most Remarkable Differences Between the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz

Below is a list of where the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz are most different:

  • American Foxhounds do not adapt well to apartment living. However, Japanese Spitzs adapt well to apartment living.
  • American Foxhounds gain weight easily. You need to pay careful attention to what you feed them. However, Japanese Spitzs are not prone to gaining weight easily.
  • American Foxhounds have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects. However, Japanese Spitzs do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.

The Similarities Between the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz

The American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz are most similar:

  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz are not very sensitive to their enviroment. They can tolerate noisy environments. They are also not very sensitive to the tone of your voice, firm or gentle.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz can tolerate hot weather.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz get along well with other dogs.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz are very easy to groom.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz are very playful.

Size Comparison of American Foxhound versus Japanese Spitz

Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz.

American Foxhounds weigh 40 to 60 pounds when fully grown. American Foxhounds are 21 to 25 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

On the other hand, Japanese Spitzs weigh 11 to 20 pounds when fully grown. Japanese Spitzs are 10 to 16 inches when fully grown.

Lifespan of American Foxhound versus Japanese Spitz

The lifespan of American Foxhounds is between 12 to 13 years. The average lifespan of American Foxhounds is 12.5 years.

The lifespan of Japanese Spitzs is between 10 to 16 years. The average lifespan of Japanese Spitzs is 13.0 years.

Japanese Spitzs live longer than American Foxhounds.

Price of American Foxhound versus Price of Japanese Spitz

The average price of the American Foxhound puppy is $460. The price of the American Foxhound typically ranges from $400 – $500. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 11 American Foxhound puppies listed for sale from various sources.

The average price of the Japanese Spitz puppy is $2200. The price of the Japanese Spitz typically ranges from $2200 – $2200. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 1 Japanese Spitz puppies listed for sale from various sources.

The Japanese Spitz is more expensive than the American Foxhound.

The charts below show the price distribution for the American Foxhound and Japanese Spitz. For different price points, the charts show how many American Foxhound puppies or how many Japanese Spitz puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

A breakdown of the prices of American Foxhounds. The typical price range is shaded Green.

A breakdown of the prices of American Foxhounds. The typical price range is shaded Green.

A breakdown of the prices of Japanese Spitzs

A breakdown of the prices of Japanese Spitzs

Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the American Foxhound puppy or the Japanese Spitz puppy. This includes if health screening tests have been performed on the puppy, if the puppy is from a famous pedigree, the US State where the puppy is bred, etc.

Nevertheless, when looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of dogs, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

You may also consider adopting a dog instead of buying a dog.

Tolerates Being Alone: American Foxhound versus Japanese Spitz

American Foxhounds do not like to be left alone.

Japanese Spitzs do not like to be left alone.

Do American Foxhounds shed more than Japanese Spitzs?

American Foxhounds shed moderately.

Japanese Spitzs shed moderately.

Which one drools more, the American Foxhound or the Japanese Spitz

American Foxhounds do have a very low tendency to drool.

Japanese Spitzs do have a very low tendency to drool.

Which is Easier to Groom, the American Foxhound or the Japanese Spitz?

American Foxhounds are very easy to groom.

Japanese Spitzs are very easy to groom.

Does the American Foxhound Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Japanese Spitz?

American Foxhounds have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

Japanese Spitzs have a very low prey drive. This means they get won`t chase after smaller pets. They tend to get along well with other pets.

Do American Foxhounds Bark and Howl? What about Japanese Spitzs?

American Foxhounds are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

Japanese Spitzs are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

Can American Foxhounds Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Japanese Spitzs Tolerate Cold Weather?

American Foxhounds can very well tolerate cold weather.

Japanese Spitzs can very well tolerate cold weather.

Wanderlust Potential: American Foxhound vs. Japanese Spitz

American Foxhounds have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

Japanese Spitzs do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.

Can American Foxhounds Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Japanese Spitzs Tolerate Hot Weather?

American Foxhounds can tolerate hot weather.

Japanese Spitzs can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the American Foxhound or the Japanese Spitz?

American Foxhounds get along very well with other dogs.

Japanese Spitzs get along very well with other dogs.

Are American Foxhounds good family dogs? What about Japanese Spitzs?

American Foxhounds are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

Japanese Spitzs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

How Kid-friendly are American Foxhounds and Japanese Spitzs?

American Foxhounds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

Japanese Spitzs get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

Is the American Foxhound Easier to Train than the Japanese Spitz?

American Foxhounds are not easy to train.

Japanese Spitzs are very easy to train.

Is the American Foxhound Better for Apartment Owners than the Japanese Spitz?

American Foxhounds do not adapt well to apartment living.

Japanese Spitzs adapt very well to apartment living.

Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the American Foxhound or the Japanese Spitz?

American Foxhounds are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

Japanese Spitzs are very good for new dog owners.

Conclusion: American Foxhound versus Japanese Spitz. Which One is a Better Pet?

In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the American Foxhound and the Japanese Spitz better suits you and your family.